iS6 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



me to the Palace of the Mucafirs (strangers), near the 

 mosque of Setti-Zeneb (St. Zenobia), where apart- 

 ments had been retained for me. At seven a large 

 barouche with four horses and two chiaous (officers 

 of the Viceroy's household) carrying their silver- 

 headed canes drove up, and I made it halt near the 

 Square of Esbekie, at the house of Linant Bey, who 

 threw himself into my arms when I told him that his 

 dream of the piercing of the isthmus was about to 

 become a reality. I went up also to see Madame 

 Linant, whose marriage I had when French consul 

 at Cairo celebrated, but whom I had not set eyes on 

 since. 



" Lubbert Bey, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign 

 Affairs, who lived in the neighbourhood, hearing of 

 my arrival, came to see me. When I first visited 

 Alexandria as student-consul in 1832, Lubbert was 

 the friend and guest of my dearly beloved superior, 

 M. Mimaut, one of the most distinguished diploma- 

 tists ever in the service of France. I shall never 

 forget how M. Mimaut, with the great work on the 

 Egyptian expedition in his hand, gave me the first 

 notion of the canal between the two seas, a subject 

 of which up to that date I had not the faintest know- 

 ledge. 



" I then go on to take possession of my new abode, 

 and make a grand entrance between two rows of 

 mamel ukes and servants. The nazir (steward) of 

 the palace, a worthy effendi with a grey beard, 



